tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305084759787917858.post3116460819658800478..comments2020-05-18T11:14:21.992+01:00Comments on COOL not CUTE!: Another all-female Carnegie Greenaway judging panel – but I’ve decided to draw a line under my gender-balance campaign.Jonathan Emmetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305084759787917858.post-90936345265430055802016-10-21T15:33:05.634+01:002016-10-21T15:33:05.634+01:00Thanks, Andy - and an extra big THANK YOU for comm...Thanks, Andy - and an extra big THANK YOU for commenting publicly on this blog.<br /><br />I wasn&#39;t aware of the gender-breakdown of the 2017 CKG panel until another author DMed me this morning to alert me to it and made this comment:<br /><br />&quot;I know. I don&#39;t have the same courage that you do to speak up about it. I have a great deal of respect for you and I know other authors do to. Just thought you should know that. Thank you for all the work you do on bringing these issues to light.”<br /><br />I’m grateful for that and for all the private messages I’ve received from other authors over the past few years. However the purpose of this blog (as stated at the top of the page) is to start a debate about gender bias in the world of picture books. And by debate I mean PUBLIC debate.<br /><br />While I am very grateful for public support from editors like Alison Sage and Liza Miller and literacy experts like Sarah Threlkeld-Brown (all featured elsewhere on this blog) the call for more gender-balance has had precious little public support from other authors. One notable exception is Jon Scieszka (see post here http://coolnotcute.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Jon%20Scieszka#blogpost).<br /><br />If things are to change, more authors need to publicly make the case for proactively gender-balancing the world of children’s books in the same way that other professionals have successfully made the case for proactively gender-balancing their own fields.<br /><br />So a big THANK YOU again!Jonathan Emmetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305084759787917858.post-70870698610974974442016-10-21T14:45:39.131+01:002016-10-21T14:45:39.131+01:00I&#39;m actually quite shocked to see that graphic...I&#39;m actually quite shocked to see that graphic. I just want to reiterate my admiration for the way you have highlighted this issue - it&#39;s a serious problem and reflects an imbalance in children&#39;s publishing which should be addressed.Andy Seedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06158201389245187019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305084759787917858.post-78855201290440102492014-02-19T10:59:04.037+00:002014-02-19T10:59:04.037+00:00Thanks for commenting, Liza. Although the response...Thanks for commenting, Liza. Although the responses I&#39;ve posted from YLG members on this blog have been critical, I&#39;ve had supportive responses from others, so I hope I have indeed &quot;planted a seed&quot; that will result in a more representative judging panel.<br /><br />As you know, I fully support your own call to address the pro-male bias in picture book characters. I think that gender bias can manifest itself in picture books in many different ways and I don&#39;t see your call as being at odds with my own call to address a pro-female gender bias in other areas.Jonathan Emmetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305084759787917858.post-82589295192831128552014-02-19T09:57:00.243+00:002014-02-19T09:57:00.243+00:00Thanks for mentioning my dissertation, Jonathan – ...Thanks for mentioning my dissertation, Jonathan – so encouraging to see it&#39;s helping highlight the lack of diversity in UK picture book publishing. I understand your decision to stand back from the campaign, but it&#39;s been fab seeing this whole debate play out, kickstarted by you. I&#39;m sure your efforts have definitely planted a seed among YLG members.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17022789888856465805noreply@blogger.com